


World Wanderer | Overgrowth

by Factory_Manager



Series: World Wanderer | Volume 3 [1]
Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animal Attacks, Animal Death, Canon Non-Binary Character, Dragons, Fantasy, Freeform, Gen, Guns, Help appreciated, Magic, Minor Character Death, No Beta, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Universe, Plants, Science Fiction, Slow Burn, world wanderer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:55:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29737665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Factory_Manager/pseuds/Factory_Manager
Summary: Ivriya is a lost city. The core has already released its power, corrupting the city and leaving it a husk of its former self. What is left is a place that is overcome by nature. Plant life covers every corner of the former city. There are no people, yet living within this bizarre jungle are creatures that have also been warped by the core's power. Not all are dangerous but animals tend to be unpredictable.Sol has successfully filled a cosmic sphere with a core's power. Vincent wants them to try to do it again, this time with fewer complications. This time he has taken the group to a place where the worse has already happened. With a large group filled with experienced members, things should go better than last time. However, things are rarely so simple. New faces come with their own sets of complications. Mixed with a harsh environment, trouble is bound to emerge.
Series: World Wanderer | Volume 3 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185650





	1. Chapter 1

I was returning from my morning shower when I found a message taped to my door. Vincent wanted us to have a meeting to discuss our next outing. It was going to take place after lunch later today. That meant I had plenty of time to spend in the garden with Clay. It has been nearly three weeks since I came back from the last outing and he was still insistent that I take things slow. It wasn't like I got hurt like Quince did.

She'd long since recovered from whatever Quilten Village's core had made her sick from. I haven't really talked with her since then, but it hasn't done much other than making her feel weak. I think Vincent had her on heavy cleaning duty afterward as punishment for disobeying him in the village.

It said to meet him in the cafeteria after lunch. We were leaving the Train again. There wasn't any information as to where we were going or what the place would be like. I was feeling a small bit of anxiety already. I did my best to push it down as I gathered Hue and headed for breakfast.

Per routine, I headed to the garden after breakfast. I went to a table near the Back where Clay and I usually frequented. He was already there waiting for me. Honey Bun came running from under the table to greet me. Bending down, I pet the brown and tan dog. Putting her paws on my legs, she stood up so I could pet her more. I couldn't help but smile as her tongue hung out.

"She's gotten real fond of you," Clay said.

"That's good because I like her too." Settling Honey Bun's paws to the ground. I went over to sit with Clay. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good. Heard something interesting this morning. We're supposed to be getting some new plants sometime soon. Not sure exactly when, though." He tapped a sheet of paper that sat on the metal table. "Got new instructions too."

Taking the paper, I read it over. It was instructed on where to drop off any unused small or seeding pots that we had laying around, as well as extra soil. Spare tools were also requested. Everything was to be delivered to the research section of the train car. I've only been in that area once, with Vincent and Ashe, before I started working over here. I didn't see much other than a few newly sprouted plants.

"Have they done this before?" I asked, setting Hue on the table. He was in the form of a white cat as usual.

"We've been here the same amount of time," he said light-heartedly. "Not much happened in the time before you worked here. If something did, no one bothered to tell me."

I didn't think out part of the garden had any tools to spare. Maybe some bags of dirt but I wasn't sure. If they were getting new plants why couldn't they bring in some dirt too? Plant stores sold dirt. The few I visited back in Burilmont sold them anyway.

"Vincent is having a meeting later," I told Clay. "I probably won't be back after lunch."

"Did something happen?"

"We're supposed to be leaving the train again. I don't know where. There was a note on my door. It just gave a meeting time and why."

"Are you ready to go out again?" Clay asked.

I shrugged. "I guess. It isn't my choice."

"It can be if you say you aren't ready," he said seriously. "If you tell'em no, Vincent'll have to listen. He can't exactly run his tests without you."

"Clay. I'm fine," I told him. "What happened was partially my fault. I'll be more careful this time."

"Listen, I'm not trying to sound like your father or anything, I'm just concerned. I know Nicholas and Oscar will take good care of you, but you really had them worried. I just want you to be careful. Who knows what you could run into this time around. That friend of yours is still recovering isn't she?"

I nodded. Quince was back in her regular room, but the few times I've seen her she didn't appear to be completely back to normal. I wasn't sure how to place it, but she still seemed kind of weak.

"I'll be careful."

Clay nodded. "I'll hold you to that."

Clay and I started by checking for weeds and any signs of wilting. We also pruned off access leaves. The majority of our time was taken up by adding compost to the dirt. It was the first time that I got to take part in it. There wasn't much to it. All we had to do was add a layer of compost over the current dirt. Despite having multiple compost sites on the train, there wasn't much of it to go around. The research team got most of it.

After spreading the compost it was time to water. This part always relaxed me. It was peaceful and I enjoyed the quiet, only being able to hear the spray of the water and the sound of footsteps on the metal floors. Time passed comfortably, but in no time it was over and lunch had arrived. I ate in the garden with Clay like always. Today's meal was a simple sandwich. It was a vegetarian one, lettuce, avocados, tomatoes, and carrots. It wasn't the best meal I have ever had, but I've also had worse. On the Train what was important was that it was filling.

During the last few minutes of the lunch break, I said bye to Clay and headed to the cafeteria with Hue. The gigantic room had most of its lights shut off, likely to save energy, making it seem ominous and off-putting. Ninety-one and Zero-zero sat at the end of a long table. Ashe and Vincent stood on the other side. There were large bags on the table. I sat next to Ninety-one.

"Alright," Vincent began. "In two days we will be arriving at a place that provides us with an ample opportunity to test out Sol's ability to gather core energy into a cosmic sphere."

"Haven't they already done that?" Zero-zero remarked.

"Sol's actions in the village were effective, but they weren't the ones to get the sphere where it is. For our goal of creating a new place that is safe enough for humanity to thrive we need to make sure Sol is fully capable of gathering the power themselves," Vincent explained. "Our next expedition will be someplace where the core has already collapsed."

"Will it be dangerous?" Ninety-one asked.

"It should be safe of the core's influence," Ashe said.

"You said something similar last time," Zero-zero reminded him.

"Admittedly, the idea that someone would discover the power of the rune and use it in such a way had never occurred to me," Vincent admitted. "However, where we are headed will have no such problem. The core has already collapsed, taking the people there with it. What is left is nothing but a few species of animals and a lot of plants."

"What is all this for?" Zero-zero asked, gesturing to the bags on the table.

"Camping gear," Ashe answered. "The city is overgrown with plants, making most of it like a jungle. You three will need to learn how to use these before we go out there."

"What will we be doing out there?" Zero-zero asked.

"Nothing too complicated. Just pitching tents and being able to start fires," Ashe said.

"You'll be joining a larger group. They are there for protection and to collect plant samples for the garden," Vincent added.

"Protection from what?" Ninety-one said with concern.

"Anything that comes to close," Vincent said. "There are only animals there. But they aren't used to people. Some might get bold. That's it. We plan on keeping to the outer part of the city."

"That sounds alright," Ninety-one nodded. He then looked at me. "What do you think, Sol?"

"I'm fine with it." There wasn't really anything much to say otherwise.

"Good. Ashe will teach you what you need to know. I'm going to ensure the other group is getting everything prepared."

Ashe started by teaching us how to start a fire. He had two stones that he called sparking rocks. Over a large, empty can he hit the two rocks together that created a brief spark. He slid the can over to Zero-zero and had him try it. It took him several tries, but eventually, he was able to get it to spark. After making the rocks spark three times in a row it was ninety-one's turn. And then mine. Getting it was hard, getting it to do it consecutively was harder.

Once we'd all had our turns Ashe took the rocks back. Taking out a small plastic bag he stuffed dried, dead plants into the can and hit the rocks again. He had us stand so we could see his hands. Holding the stones close to the dried plants, he sparked the rocks a few times eventually causing a small fire.

"The dried plants are called kindling. It is better to use dead plants than live ones. Live ones are harder to burn and create more smoke than anything," Ashe explained as he set a lid over the can, killing the fire. "We'll be taking lighters with us, but everyone will be carrying these as a precaution."

We moved on to learning how to put up tents. It felt odd doing it in the cafeteria, but other than the garage, it was the only room with enough space. The sides of the cafeteria had the largest walkways. They were mostly for when the kitchen crew brought in large amounts of food. Either way, it was enough for us to set up the two-person tent Ashe had for us.

"The size and style of what we have will vary given that we get what we can take, but they all pretty much work the same with setting them up and taking them down," he explained.

This was much harder than using the rocks, mostly because all we had to work with was Ashe's verbal instructions. He didn't help himself. It was a long process but the three of us ended up getting it up eventually.

"How often will we be doing this?" Zero-zero asked with muted irritation.

"That depends on how much the research group wants to move around, but it shouldn't be too often," Ashe answered.

"How long are we going to be out there?" I asked.

"That also depends on the research group," Ashe said with a slight laugh. "Luckily, they are used to a lab setting, so they won't want to be out there any longer than you do. Alright, we have one more thing."

After taking down the tent, we returned to the table were Ashe handed each of us a large black backpack. They were bigger than any kind I've seen before.

"These are specifically made for long expeditions outside. They are waterproof and extremely durable. These will temporarily be yours during the trip," he explained. "Right now they are filled with clothing that should be your size. As Vincent said, there will be wild animals there, so to keep ourselves hidden everyone will wear camouflage. There are three sets for each of you and one pair of boots each."

"Only three?" Zero-zero remarked.

"There's no electricity, no running water, so now where to shower," Ashe said.

"Bathrooms?" I couldn't help but ask.

"None of those either," he said, almost amused.

I was nervous about what we would face out there before, but now I was just uncomfortable. Were we supposed to go to the bathroom outside? I wasn't going to ask out loud. I wanted to keep the possibility as a maybe, rather than risking a solid 'no'. Even if he did already say that there was no plumbing. So far all this expedition is going to involve is wild animals and using the bathroom outside. 

Not only was the backpack large, but it was also heavy too. Not incredibly so but it weighed a lot more than my smaller one. When I got to my room, I checked it to see if there was anything other than clothes in it. There weren't. I set it next to my trunk and laid on the bed. It would be a while until dinner and I considered going back to the garden but was too anxious.

In two days I would be off the train and in another strange new place in order to try and control a power that I didn't understand. I didn't want to tell anyone but I was starting to get more nervous about this. But it wasn't like I could just say I didn't want to anymore. The only reason we were let on the Train in the first place is that I can use a sphere better than anyone Vincent has been able to find so far. This and that I can use the runes too. Without that, I would just be a regular member of Recall and Vincent had enough of those.


	2. Chapter 2

I was awake before the morning buzz sounded. I drug my feet to get a shower and breakfast. Ninety-one and Zero-zero asked if something was wrong, I told them no. That I was fine. Telling them wouldn't help anything anyway. It was easier if they thought I was okay. I am okay, just nervous. Besides they've had enough to worry about from me.

Anyway, I told Clay what happened at the meeting. We were in the middle of sweeping the floor between the rows of plants. Fallen dirt from ripped back, dead leaves from a bucket that were heading to the composting sites, a snapped twig or two, things like that. We always had to be careful about conserving resources so we didn't have to sweep very often. Today was just one of those days.

"Hopefully it will be an easy trip for you all," he said optimistically. The same was said about the villagers, but I didn’t tell him that. "It will be some nice downtime for you."

"Maybe." It was nice to assume but I wasn't counting on it. At the very least there wouldn't be too many other people around. I was probably going to spend most of my time in the haze of whatever magic made up where we were going.

"Are you okay?"

He was being kind but I was getting tired of hearing that question. "I'm fine, just...never been camping before. There won't be any elections or bathrooms. I'm not used to that."

"You'll have experienced people with you." I nodded even though he couldn't see me. Honey Bun was busy watching the floor for Clay, not that we were near each other anyway.

I only worked until lunchtime. After that Ashe had Ninety-one, Zero-zero and I practiced the same things as the day before. It went easier this time around, but the tent still caused us problems. We'd arrive tomorrow and Ashe said that we would leave the day after. He told us to take that day off. Good, that gave me another day.

The halls were mostly empty when I headed back to my room. I passed a few members of the cleaning crew that were sweeping the floors. I guess it was sweeping day for everyone. I rounded the corner and a few doors from my room stood Quince. Pausing, I was debating whether to say something or not. She wasn’t at the meetings, so she wasn't leaving the train with us. Wouldn't she be angry at me like last time? It wasn’t my choice but that hadn't stopped her before.

Deciding that it would be worse, and awkward if she caught me staring I continued walking. "Hey."

There was a slight look of surprise on her face when she looked up. Her voice was hesitant as she spoke. "Hey, Sol. How's it going?"

"Good, I guess. You?"

She shrugged. "Okay. I still feel weird from what happened."

"Weird how?" I asked, stopping to stand next to her. I regretted it instantly. I didn't want to talk about this, about what happened or her or me. I was about to say that she didn't have to say anything, but she spoke before I could.

"Jittery, I guess. Sometimes my hands feel like they are shaking. Sometimes it’s my whole body. The people in the infirmary say that it’s just my system settling after having so much magic in it. It should stop eventually. They don't know for sure." I bit the inside of my lip. Her voice was quieter than I've ever heard it. No, it was like this once before, when she told me about her parents. It was odd to see her so subdued. "But other than that, I'm stuck only cleaning. Victoria won't let me train with her or Opal anymore. And I guess I'm not allowed to leave the train anymore."

"I'm sure it's just until you get better," I told her. I didn't know for sure. I never even asked about it.

"Yeah," she muttered while looking at the floor. The air between us went silent. I had no idea what to say to that. Should I comfort her? I had no idea how to do that. After a few moments, she went back to sweeping and I kind of just walked away.

Trying to push the interaction from my thoughts, I shut the door. I opened the library. Hue jumped down from my shoulders as I headed to the table. On it, I had a sheet of paper with the abilities of the runes written on it. I didn't have anything for the Quilten Village yet. I did know if making monsters out of people was it or not, and I wasn't willing to test it out.

We were going somewhere that was overtaken by plants, meaning that the core's power was plant-related, just like Coal Grove's. I still refused to use that rune. That was two out of the six runes I knew of that I couldn't use. Heita's was okay, but it wasn't very useful. And I wasn't sure how to use Burilmont's or Goldsboro's. That only left the cards.

Leaning back in the chair, I levitated up two of the cards that I'd left scattered over the table, a yellow one and a blue one. Almost a third of the deck were changed to look like this. They were pretty like this. Pretty, but useless. Was that really all this rune did, change things to select colors? I guess no one said that they had to be useful. Hopefully, the next one would be just as useless.

Vincent wouldn’t like it, but at least a useless rune was a harmless one.

The time waiting for the expedition to come and went. I spend most of it with my head in some of the books I had laying around. It was all I had to occupy myself. Going to the garden would just make my nerves worse. Not that they were calm either way.

Like for the last outing, I showered and got breakfast before getting my things from my room. I got dressed in the heavy clothing; long pants and a short-sleeved shirt. I'd seen the pattern before, but never knew the name of it until now. The clothes were slightly too big for me but I would manage. There were a single pair of heavy black boots.

I shoved my pack of cards and the runestone into one of the many pockets on the pants, before hauling the backpack on. Hue turned into a cat before climbing on top of it. As if the bag wasn't heavy enough. Regardless, I quietly made my way to the garage.

There were already a few people here and loading onto the bus. I recognized a few of them from Lucky Coin and the village. They had similar backpacks as mine, they also had long black bags slung over their shoulders. They sat near the back. There was a separate group in the middle that had metal cases. I took a seat at the front with Ninety-one and Zero-zero.

"This is more people than I was expecting," Ninety-one said in a low voice.

"They probably don't get to leave the Train much," Zero-zero said in an equally low tone.

"That must be hard," Ninety-one responded. I silently disagreed.

The other two groups were quietly muttered to each other. They never intermingled. Was it because they didn't know or that they didn't like each other? A tall woman sitting with the researchers glanced over towards me. her eyes were cold, almost judgmental. I looked away. No one bothered to introduce themselves or acknowledge us, so the three of us kept to ourselves. I was more than fine with that.

The last people to enter the bus were Ashe, Vincent, and surprisingly Opal. I hadn't seen the teen in a while. She smiled brightly before pushing past the other two to come to sit with me.

"Hey," she spoke happily. Her voice was so much louder than anyone else's. Everyone else seemed to go quiet after hearing it. Or maybe that was because Vincent was here.

"Hey," I said quietly, hoping that she would follow suit. She didn't.

"I get to go along with you since Quince can't," she didn't bother to hide the joy in her voice. "I'm here to keep the equilibrium of your group."

Before I could ask what she meant by that, Vincent began speaking.

"Does everything have what they need?" He asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, sir."

Two voices answered almost in unison. One distinctly belonging to an older woman. The researcher maybe? The other was a gruff man's and came from further back. Vintage nodded at the confirmation before taking a seat. Ashe started the bus and we were off.

"Hi, there," Opal cooed as she reached a hand out toward Hue. He moved to squeeze himself between my side and the bus wall. Opal giggled. "He still doesn't like me."

"What do you mean by our equilibrium?" I asked, thankful that the sound of the bus muted our voices, even a little.

"Well, I told Victoria, I mean Ms. Lennon, that since Quince can't come, that I should go in her place so that you guys will still have four people. I told her that harmony in a group is important and the key to success. Without it, who knows what could happen. Quince is a key member of your group, you need her to get things done right, right?" I didn't answer, not that she waited for a response. "But I will do my best to do my duty precisely and without failure."

"What do you believe Quince's role is?" Zero-zero asked.

Opal's eyebrows came together as she thought about it. "Moral support and a 'get things done' attitude? That's the impression I got anyway. I haven't really heard any stories about your trips from any of you. How about you tell me about the last one? I haven't heard much about yet."

"It would be better if we didn't," Ninety-one answered quietly.

"Oh," she said clearly disappointed. "Is it because of what happened to Quince? I already know about that so it's fine."

"Drop it," Vincent spoke, his voice stern. "We still have time to go back and drop you off.

Opal looked to the side, pressed her lips together, and leaned against the back of the seat, pouting. The rest of the ride was quiet. I found it a little hard to believe that Opal was supposed to be Quince's replacement. Why did we need one? Was there really something to the group harmony thing or was that just an excuse she made up to come with us? Maybe that was what she was told? Either way, she was going to be with us for the trip. Better her than someone I didn't know, I guess.

I watched out the window as the bus left the ramp of the Train and rolled onto a grassy field. We were in the shadow of the massive vehicle and it would be a while until we were out of it. The train was as tall as a building. I didn’t know much about how it ran other than trash and other unused things were thrown into the engine for fuel. I doubted that's all that was needed to make it go but didn’t know who to ask for more information.

When we did eventually make it out of its shadow, the light from the sun felt blinding. It has been a while since I've seen direct sunlight. I always caught a glimpse of it when I passed between the train cars when heading to the garden, but there was a thick mesh that covered the walkway.

It was the same type of overgrown grassy field that always seemed to exist in the space between core-controlled areas. Vincent said it was a dangerous lifeless place that was unfit for people to live in. The grass wasn't as bright green as what would be in someone's yard, there were definitely weeds and dead patches, but it wasn't lifeless by any means. Was he referring to something else? Was it just bad for people to live in? I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to ask him about it.

The place we were heading to was also supposed to be overrun with plants, I wondered how we would know when we got there. I got my answers when we crossed into the core’s range of energy. I could feel it. It was like being in the haze but far more diluted. Next to me, Hue shook himself. The bus now drove over a lush field that was covered in flowers. There were all sorts of species in different sizes, yet all were white in color. It was a shame to be driving over it really.

Far ahead was a city. Even from such a distance, I could make out the gigantic plants that clung to the buildings. Some of the structures were bent at odd angles, clearly having collapsed at one point, with the only thing holding them up being the plants. Were they the reason the building fell in the first place or did that happen after? The city was a mix of dull grey and healthy green. I could see the shapes of birds flying around.

The city looked odd and nice at the same time. The bus came to a stop next to a tall sign. It had vines and moss growing on and around it. Under the plants were large white letters that read ‘Ivriya’.


	3. Chapter 3

The bus parked only a few feet after passing through the energy range. When Ashe opened the doors, a gust of warm air blew in.

"Is this really going to walk the rest of the way?" a man, the dame who had spoken earlier, said. He sounded annoying. He was a tall man with short-cut black hair. He had a serious look about him.

"We don't want to risk missing any important samples," the older woman said. She was also tall. Taller than the man even. She had shoulder-length blonde, almost white hair. Her eyes were naturally narrow as if she was constantly glaring at everything she looked at.

"In a flower field?"

"Yes, Hampton, a flower field. We have no idea what kind of anomalies can occur in these plants. Our goal is to produce more food. It is a rather impossible one, wouldn't you agree? One that is worth a little extra walking."

"We are getting off here," Vincent finalized.

The bus fell silent, leaving only the sound of shuffling as everyone gathered their things and filled off the bus and into the tall grass. He climbed onto the top of my backpack to avoid walking in it. I would have lost sight of him if he didn't. Thankfully, I remembered to put him in his harness.

Squinting, I looked at the sky bright and had only a few clouds. The grass came up to my knees. When the wind blew, it moved like a wave of water. The air was hot and humid, yet smelled clean. Cleaner than I've ever smelled it before. Maybe it was all the flowers.

"Are you excited?" Opal asked as she moved to stand next to me.

"Not really."

"It doesn't look exciting now, but who knows, we might run into something interesting," she said cheerfully. Excitement was the last thing I wanted.

Not too far from me, one of the researchers pulled up one of the tall stalks of grass. One that had a flower on it and shoved it into a large plastic bag. They then pushed the bag into another researcher's backpack.

"Do you really need grass?" One of the men in Hampton's group said. The two researchers only rolled their eyes.

"Pearson," Vincent began. "Take the lead. We'll move at your pace."

"Yes, sir." The older woman said.

She began heading towards the city. The others followed. I glanced back at the bus, Ashe hadn't gotten off.

"Come on," one of Hampton's men urged. He moved to touch me on the arm but Hue hissed and swatted at him. The man backed off, eyeing him. "We're losing daylight."

"Come on, Sol," Zero-zero spoke, watching the man, sizing him up. I began walking just to avoid trouble.

The researchers kept near each other, while the other group was spread out around all of us. There were five of them. Two in front, one on each side, and one behind. They kept their attention watching the distance as if they were waiting for something. I didn't see anything in the grass, but Vincent did say there were animals here. As tall as the grass was, who knows what could be lurking around.

Hearing movement, I glanced back to the bus. It was turning around and began heading back. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, not that there was anything I could do about it.

"It's nice here," Opal said next to me. "But I guess anything is better than being stuck on the Train all the time."

"Don't take that safety for granted," Hampton said from behind us. Opal rolled her eyes.

The walk was quiet. Occasionally the researchers would mutter to one another but that was it. It was boring, which was a good thing as far as I was concerning. I wasn't as fond of doing this much walking. The heat and humidity meant I was sweating in no time. My feet were starting to hurt from the too-big boots and the uneven ground.

Behind me, I could hear Hue shifting on my backpack. He was probably getting uncomfortable from the heat too. Or maybe he was just bored. The backpack bounced as I walked, so it could have been that too.

I boredly shoved my hand in my pocket, the one that held the runestone and case of cards. If we did end up getting attacked by animals would they be useful? They were fine against fabric but skin and muscles were something else entirely. The thought made my stomach tighten. No, I couldn't use them against animals. Probably not a person either.

At one point we began to hear the sound of running water. We drifted from our path in search of it, eventually arriving at a dip in the ground where a stream sat. The was crystal clear, allowing us to see the rocky bottom and the small fish that swam in it. The stream flowed under a metal bridge. The bridge was heavily rusted. The harsh red stood starkly against the large ashen white rocks that surrounded the stream.

"We'll stop here," Pearson announced.

The researchers gathered around a large flat rock where they set their metal cases on. They dropped their bags on the ground next to it. After pulling out a few plastic bags they spread out around the stream and began looking through the grass and water. The plants here were slightly different, the stalls thin and round. A few were growing from the water.

One of the researchers stood by one of these plants taking pictures before pulling out a notebook and writing something down. Like the grass, part of it was pulled up and put in a bag. Another, bent down with a small bottle and filled it with the stream's water. They wrote on the plastic with a black marker. A third and fourth researcher was gathering dirt and rocks from the ground around the stream and in it.

Pearson was off to the side near the bridge talking with Vincent and Hampton. They were facing towards the city. Their voices were low, so I couldn't catch what they were saying, especially not over the sound of the running water.

Hampton's group spread out around the stream and took scenes on the rocks. They sat facing outward, still on watch. Ninety-one's, Zero-zero, Opal and I also sat on rocks. We pulled off our backpacks and sat them at our feet. I held the end of Hue’s leash so he could wander around a bit.

We were close enough to the stream that he was able to take a drink from it. The tiny fish in it darted away when he neared. They looked white but had a green sheen to them when they moved. They reminded me of Hue back when he was just a tiny fish in a tank that sat by my bed. Now he was a dragon that was transformed into a cat. It has felt like a long several months.

Looping the leash end around my wrist, I reached into the backpack and pulled out a water bottle. It was metal and as black as the bag. I took a drink. The water was cold and tasted great.

Behind me, I heard a mechanic click. Turning around, I saw that Opal was holding up a camera and was taking pictures of the scenery.

"Isn't this the most peaceful place you've ever seen?" She said whimsically.

"It is nice, isn't it," Ninety-one said. I thought so too, but the people keeping guard make me wary.

"What's your favorite place that you've been to?" Opal asked.

"That's hard to say," Zero-zero responded.

"Coal Grove was nice," Ninety-one said. "Burilmont too."

"Heita," I said. It was a pretty city, peaceful too. I wish I'd gotten to see more of it.

"Aww," Ninety-one said as he pulled me into a hug. He touched his head against mine. "I'm glad you liked it there."

"You made it fun," I said light-heartedly. I smiled, but it was hard knowing that we could never go back to his or Zero-zero's home.

"You're too sweet," Ninety-one said, patting my back.

"How long have you two been friends?" Opal asked.

"If you mean Sol, I adopted them," Ninety-one explained. "But I've known Oscar for years. We've been a family for a little under five months now."

"You adopted Sol five months ago?" She said with confusion. "But they're old."

Zero-zero snickered. "It's just how it was there. Certain types of people got adopted by others regardless of age. Nicholas and I were considered to be caregivers. There we were expecting to take care of someone."

"Even if they were an adult?" Opal asked.

"Yes," Zero-zero nodded.

"Did you take care of someone?"

"No. That wasn't for me," Zero-zero said with a shake of his head before reaching over and patting me. "But Sol is different. They're more independent than someone from our city would be."

"We're done here," Pearson announced. Her voice slit through the quiet air.

Everyone quickly gathered their things. Ninety-one helped to put Hue back on my bag. We were back to heading towards the city. We walked through the stream rather than risk the rusted bridge. It would possibly be able to hold one of us, but not all fourteen one after another.

Things fell silent again. Was this how Recall missions were before we arrived? Just walking around empty places that they thought were safe? Was that how they were originally planning on finding a place to settle in? How much progress did they make that way?

The field felt like it stretched on for miles. What was all this before the core collapsed and covered it with grass? How long have we been walking? Vincent said we were going to stay at the edge of the city but what if the researchers wanted to go further in?

Hue shifted on my bag as somethings in the grass moved. Everyone stopped. The movement came again. Hampton's group reached for something at their sides. I only now realized that they had pistols strapped to their hips. One of the men slowly bent and picked something up. He threw it in the direction of the moving grass. Pearson whipped around at him angrily. The sound wings filled the quiet air as a flock of small white birds took to the sky.

"Do not do that again," she hissed at him.

"They were just birds," he said dismissively. He had short curly brown hair and looked to be about Ninety-one's age.

"This time they were birds," she shot back. “You have no idea what is out here.”

"Don't antagonize the animals, Parks," Hampton spoke. His tone made it unclear who he was referring to, the birds or Pearson.

"Your leadership leaves a lot to be desired," Pearson said before continuing on. "But fine let your people do as they please, we see how long they last out here."

"We're the ones with the guns. Unless you got something in your science kits, we'll outlast any of you," Parks returned.

"That's enough," Hampton said, vaguely irritated.

"You don't even know if those things can kill anything out here," one of the researchers said snidely.

"I'll say it again, you don't have anything better."

"Enough," Vincent spoke. That was the end of it.

I wasn't sure what concerned me more, that no one was sure what was out here or that they didn't know if they could stop it if something decided to attack us. I glanced at Ninety-one and Zero-zero. They looked equally put off by the exchanges. The attitude around us did seem to change. Did they always bicker like this?

"No one really likes the rangers," Opal whispered to me. I doubt it was low enough for her voice to go unnoticed but no one seemed to care. "Everyone in their group is kind of mean anyway."

I nodded. I would make sure not to upset them or speak with them in general. If they wanted to be left alone that was fine by me.

"What about the others?" I whispered back.

"They're okay, I think. Most of the people who work in the garden area usually keep to themselves so no one really sees them. The few I've talked to are okay. Pearson will probably be the one you see the most, but she's kind of strict."

"Wait until we're out of earshot to continue this please," Pearson said plainly. Opal smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

It must have been early afternoon when we arrived at the outskirts of the city. The buildings further in were still separated by a hood chunk of grassy land yet this stretch had several shrubs within it. THer were also smaller buildings dotting the land. All of them were dilapidated. We moved onto a road. It was broken up, with grass and other plants growing around it. Vines also grew from between the broken asphalt.

The sun was still high, shining over the brilliant green of the plants grown around the structures near us. We passed what looked to be a hotel. The building was half-collapsed, the sides covered by leafy ivy. From what I could see the windows were broken and the few vehicles in the lot were overcome with plants. A cluster of white butterflies sat on a small abandoned, moss-covered bicycle. Opal took pictures of them.

We passed several vehicles on the broken road. All of them were covered in plants and rust. None had people. Lived or dead. There were more of the white birds from before. They pecked at the ground and on top of vehicles. The air was noisy with their calls. It was nice not to be surrounded by silence anymore.

We stopped at a build that was nothing but the metal frame. Ivy clung to the metal supports and climbed all the way to the roof. Birds fluttered around inside when we entered. The ground was nothing but dirt and grass. Rays of sunlight shined through the thick roof of foliage. Squirrels skittered around the plants. They were just as white as the birds.

"We'll make camp here," Pearson decided.

I inwardly recoiled at the realization that we would need to set up the tents. Ashe preparation meant that we weren't hopeless, but it still wasn't a fast process. Even with Opal's help, we were the last out of everyone to get ours set up. Thankfully the others had all gone off to do other things.

"So, what now?" Opal asked after our things were set in the tent.

Ninety-one and Zero-zero were sharing one, while Opal and I each had our own. They were smaller, with only enough space for the sleeping bags and backpacks.

Zero-zero looked around. "Well, Vincent is gone so we might as well relax for now."

"You might want to call him Castillo or the rangers will get upset," Opal told us. "They're all about rules and such."

"I'll try to remember that," Zero-zero said nodding.

"How long have you been with Recall?" Ninety-one asked.

"A few years," Opal said. "My place had a bunch of robots so I knew a lot about building and fixing things. That's probably the only reason I was allowed to join."

"What happens when someone wants to join but doesn't have anything significant to contribute?" Zero-zero asked.

Opal shrugged. "I don't know. Castillo is the only one of the leaders who leaves the Train, so it all depends on what he decides."

With nothing else to do, the four of us went outside. A cool wind was blowing. It felt good out here compared to inside. Without the breeze, the air inside the building was hot and stifling. There were plenty of gaps in the plants on the walls, but it wasn't enough.

One of the rangers was sitting outside the entrance to the building. She was staring out to where the researchers were moving about in the grassy field. The other rangers were standing around elsewhere, also keeping watch. Vincent stood not too far away, talking with Hampton.

A strong wind blew around us. A flock of birds flew up from the top of our shelter and headed towards the city. There were more clouds in the sky now. Was it going to rain soon?

I set Hue on the ground, allowing him to walk around. He almost disappeared in the long grass. It was shorter here than in the larger stretch of the grassland, yet only his tail stuck up from it. That didn't stop him from trying to explore. From my angle, I could see him smelling the ground. Was he looking for something?

He crept forward until he found something round. It looked like a rock with moss on it. He pounced at it but whatever it was darted out of the way. Before Hue could jump for it again, Opal picked it up. The little white thing kicked helplessly as she held it up.

"It’s a crab," she said.

"A what?" Zero-zero asked.

"It lives in saltwater. I think it scavenges on dead things." She pointed to the odd appendages on the front of it. "It uses these claws to grab things. Have you guys not seen one before? Not even at restaurants?"

"People eat those?" Ninety-one asked.

"The insides, yes. They're supposed to be a red color and live by the water. I wonder why it's out here."

"The anomaly early had an effect on the animals as well as the plants," Pearson spoke as she approached us.

I didn't know she was nearby. She was followed by one of her researchers. The tall woman held out her hand for the tiny animal. Opal reluctantly handed it over. Pearson handed it off to her staff member who then put it in a plastic bag. The poor thing kicked around helplessly in the plastic.

"What are you going to do with it?" Opal asked.

"Study it," she answered coldly. She then pointed down at Hue. "Speaking of which, I have questions about your creature there."

"His name is Hue," Zero-zero told her.

"What is the significance of its current appearance?" She asked while looking directly at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I and others here are aware that it isn't a cat. Why do you insist on having it be perceived as one?" Pearson explained.

"We'd you get a dragon anyway?" the researcher asked. He has short blond hair and dark eyes. He appeared to be a few years older than me.

"Soto, please," Pearson said with an eye roll. "I am also curious where you found such a creature. I've traveled with Recall for years and have never even heard of such a thing. Where did you get it."

"I've always had him. I don't remember where," I told her.

"The dragon is on a need-to-know basis," Vincent said, walking over. "Sol had it be a cat for their convenience. You don't need to know anything more than that."

"Can it fight?" Hampton asked from behind Vincent. He looked over Hue with calculating eyes.

"Only when it chooses to," Vincent answered.

"Then we can train it," Hampton said, his eyes moving to me. "And you too."

"Lennon said they don't need to train to fight," Opal cut in.

"Then maybe we should see about changing her mind," Hampton almost growled. "I bet I could make a ranger out of you."

"I doubt they would fit in with your group," Pearson said.

"Sol's usefulness is elsewhere. It is a matter that does not concern either of you." Vincent cut in before Hampton could speak. Neither of them seemed happy with that. They looked over me with curious judgemental eyes.

Hampton left first. He stalked away muttering to himself. Vincent looked at Pearson but she didn't move, clearly not done questioning me.

"You work within the garden, don't you?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Yes. You work with the blind man. Clay, wasn't it? It isn't every day that newcomers get placed there. I'm curious why you are an exception."

"The decision was Hope's and mine. Don't go prodding in things that aren't your business," Vincent warned.

"I'm not. Unlike some of you, I prefer to get to know those who work around me, even if they aren't under my direct command," She said, her tone even. "We're supposed to be a community after all."

Vincent hummed but said nothing before leaving. It was odd seeing him let go like that. I guess I was used to always seeing people do what he says.

"What else can he turn into?" she asked, her attention back on me.

"Anything?" I said with a shrug.

"Well, I recommend something larger and easier to keep up with." She recommended before also leaving. Soto gave us a parting nod before following.

"That was odd," Ninety-one said once they were gone.

"How many people know about Sol and Hue?" Zero-zero asked Opal.

"The rangers were there to get you guys from your last trip," she explained. "I doubt any of them told people outside their group, but they aren't good at keeping their mouths closed, so the others probably overheard them talking."

"Great," Zero-zero said with a huff.

"Is that bad?" I asked. I wasn't happy with it, but it wasn't like these people were new to strange things.

"If they start trying to recruit you, I could cause a problem," he said.

Ninety-one set a hand on his shoulder. "Vincent made it clear that he doesn't want Sol to be involved with them," Zero-zero said nothing to that. I did ask what sort of problems he was worried would happen.

"You guys want to eat?" Opal suggested, changing the subject.

There was much else to eat aside from energy bars and dried meat. Ashe hadn't mentioned the limited food options until the day beforehand leaving. But compared to using the bathroom outside behind a broken truck, it was nothing. I made a note not to drink too much water for the rest of the trip.

The day was starting to feel endless. The four of us ended up sitting at the edge of the broken road where part of the curb still remained intact. I had my head tilted back watching the clouds slowly cross the sky. Hue's leash was tied around my ankle. He was looking through the grass again, probably looking for another crab.

Pearson's people were done picking through the grass looking for samples and had moved into the shelter. The others were still on lookout. They looked just as bored as we were. Some had even started messing with their guns to pass the time, taking aim at things in the distance. No one fired a shot.

Closing my eyes, I decided to feel for the core's power. Boredom was making me brave, I guess. I was worried that it would be like Coal Grove's, but feeling it now, it was different. Describing how it was different would be like trying to describe a smell no one else has come across.

This core's power was less angry than Coal Grove's. Could a core be angry? The tree definitely was. This one was calm, calmer than any of them so far. It was nice. It still buzzed like the one from the village but it was gentle. I stayed there, enjoying the feeling before I began to feel something stirring. Reaching through the magic, I searched yet couldn’t fund anything.

I opened my eyes and was met with raindrops on my face. Blinking, I took in the sky. There was still play of blue to be seen and while there were even more clouds than before, they were still mostly white. In the area directly above us sat a giant cloud that apparently could wait to stare raining on us. It was only a slight drizzle now, but we still moved to get out of it.

"Were you connecting with the core?" Ninety-one asked while I untied Hue's leash from around my leg.

"Was it that long?" I asked, a little embarrassed.

He shook his head. "No. Only a few minutes. How was it?"

"Better than the last one," I told him. "This one is calm."

"Is that unusual?" Zero-zero asked. We were on our feet and heading to the shelter. The rangers moved closer to it as well but were going inside.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. The other two that I've felt like this were more agitated."

"Maybe it's a good sign," Ninety-one said, hopeful.

We returned to the shelter where the researchers were gathered together. They were sitting at a makeshift table, which was just a cleaned-off section of metal framing. They were muttering to one another while looking over clipboards and plant samples.

The floor had large sections of unbroken concrete. Our group found one to sit on, that wasn't too far from our tents and watched the rain as it fell. As it got later into the day the rain got stronger. The researchers had put their materials away and stuffed them into metal cases that were placed in tents. Eventually, the rain got too much for the rangers and they came inside as well.


	5. Chapter 5

By the time the sun had set, the sky was completely covered by dark clouds and it was a full-on storm. Light flashed behind the curtain of vibes that surrounded us. A roar of thunder rolled after. The plants were keeping most of the rain out, but some were still getting through. There were spots in the roof were water flowed down in tiny streams, creating small muddy puddles on the uneven floor.

White crabs, like the one Hue caught earlier, were beginning to creep into the shelter. There were only a few at first. They kept near the walls and away from everyone else. As more got in, seemingly hiding from the rain, they got bold, eventually to the point where they started walking on our boots. The sound they made when they got underfoot was saddening.

Now everyone was in their tents, hiding from rain and crabs. I laid in my thick sleeping bag, listening to the storm and watching Hue as he gnawed on a small crab that he'd brought in with him. Another flash of light and another crack of thunder came and went. I reached out and pulled Hue toward me. He let go of the crab, which took the chance to scuttle away. It sat in the corner of the tent, well within arm’s reach.

I set Hue on my stomach and began petting him if only to keep in from the crab. I knew I was going to get much sleep tonight, not with the storm as loud as it was. The only bright side was that the air was humid, so it wasn't cold enough to be uncomfortable. I used the backpack as a pillow, albeit a stiff and uncomfortable one. We would probably do more walking again tomorrow if it wasn't still raining. If it was, would I have to spend the whole day sitting in here?

I closed my eyes and attempted to get some rest. Yet as the night went on the storm only seemed to get worse. I faded in and out of sleep, waking up to thunder or the tent shaking from the wind. As the temperature dropped, Hue moved closer to my next for warmth. I eventually just let him into the sleeping bag with me. Once when I woke up, I found the crab Hue had stared at me with its black eyes. Hue reached a paw towards it and the crab quickly crawled under the sleeping bag. I was too tired to be bothered by the feeling of it moving under me.

The last time I was awakened that night, it was to voices. Blinking, I listened to them. I recognize the voice, they belonged to the rangers and researchers. They sounded annoyed. No, concerned. Worried? It was hard to tell.

"Everyone get up! We're evacuating!" Hampton’s voice boomed over the noise of the storm. I blinked slowly. I wasn't comfortable but I still didn't want to get up. "Grab your bags and get going!"

Tiredly groaning, I sat up. When I moved, I felt the tent sway. Water sloshed underneath. The shelter was flooding. I pulled Hue out of the sleeping so I could roll it up and shove it into my bag. After pulling my boots in and strapping Hue into his harness, I pulled on the backpack and opened up the tent.

It was still night. The wind was blowing so hard that the vines shook. It pulled leaves from it, sending them scattering around the shelter. Several streams of water poured in from the ceiling. Rolls of thunder came one after another. Everything was scrambling to get their things together. The researchers were struggling to gather their cases together, making some of the rangers help them.

Ninety-one stood near my tent. He helped me out of it. My boots splashed into the water. The inside of the shelter stood as one large puddle. It poured into the open tent door. I quickly zipped it closed. Crabs covered the floor. Crawling over each other and our things. There were so many they were getting stepped on.

"Leave the tents," Hampton shouted. "Hurry up. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get dry."

"Good, you're up," Zero-zero said as he walked up to us. His and Ninety-one's clothes were getting soaked, mine were too.

"Where are we going?" I asked, yelling over the storm. There was still a decent span of grassy land between here and the city. Was it safe to go out there?

"No idea, but stay close to me okay," Ninety-one said. I nodded.

"Is everyone ready?" Vincent shouted. There were several shouts of confirmation and even more nods. We were ready to get out of here.

Hampton and Vincent lead the way out of the shelter. I held Hue close to my chest as we stepped out into the raging storm. Between the wind, the rain, and the darkness, it was nearly impossible to see. Some of us took out flashlights just to see the ground ahead of us. Ninety-one took my hand.

The ground was a soaking muddy mess that sucked in our feet as we walked. Water splashed against my legs as I walked. My pants were soaked in less than a minute. The rain was cold. Tucked in my arm, Hue was shivering. He had his claws in my shirt to keep himself steady. I wish I had taken out an extra shirt to wrap him in.

Once we reached the broken road we were able to move faster. We were out of the deeper part of the water up here, with only a short layer of it, covering the asphalt. Looking out, I could glimpses of small waves in the fields when lightning flashed overhead. A bolt of it struck somewhere in the city. It backlit buildings and giant plants. For a second, I thoughts I saw something move in the grass. Maybe it was just the water stirred up by the wind.

I don't know how long we walked like that, pelted by rain and wind. With only brief flashes of the city to tell us how close we were getting. I was shivering. My clothes were drenched. Hue's fur was soaked through too. I was worried that he would get sick. There wasn't anything I could do for him now.

There was a splash. Looking back, I saw nothing but darkness and water. A beam from a flashlight passed over where the noise had come there was nothing. Ninety-one urged me forward. The front of the group hadn't stopped to look. We hurried to catch up to them. The splashing came again. It was much louder this time. It sounded like something being dragged through the water.

A small wave hit us a moment before some shouted in pain and surprise. A flashlight went flying as somethings hit again the road. I looked back long enough to see something long and scaled move around behind us. It lunged for someone at the end of the group. The shouting stopped as we began to run.

It was hard enough to walk through the water, but running was worse. The footing was even and the waves kicked up unseen things that hot underfoot. It didn't take long for whatever it was to go for us again. I saw the face of one of the researchers and they flew by, followed by a large white eye. The scales reflected the lights as it passed. Its body whipped around, sending waves over us.

I gasped as part of the creature slammed into me. I felt myself bounce. Everything went dark. When I tried to breathe, water filled my lungs. Blind, I pushed myself to my feet. Coughing, I looked around, darkness. The water only went to my knees. There were flashes of light and gunfire. Turning, I saw that part of the group was still on the road. Some were shot at the monster. Flashlights sat underwater, unmoving.

Voices rang out as people called for each other. Shapes of the other people who were thrown moved around us. Through a flash of lightning, I could see some beginning to head back towards the commotion, while others appeared to be searching through the water. Turning my head, I couldn’t see Hue anywhere.

"Sol!" I heard Ninety-one callout. He sounded so panicked.

"I'm over here!" I shouted, already heading in the direction of his voice. He wasn't far. Even in the darkness, we were able to find each other.

"Are you okay?" He said, pulling me close and patting me down.

"I'm fine," I assured him. He hugged me, releasing a breath of relief.

We started calling for Zero-zero. Over the storm, the gunfire, and the other voices, I doubted he could hear us. Looking around, I could only make out a slight silhouette.

"Oscar! Hue! Opal!"

With nowhere else to go, Ninety-one and I began heading back towards the road. We were aiming for a section that was further back, away from the creature.

A single flashlight was trailed on it. The beam followed its long body, resting on in a face scaled face with a wide mouth. A pale snake towered over the flooded road. Its body sending waves as it dove towards the range shooting it. The flashlight went out.

The water became shallow as we made out to the slight ridge the road rested on. Ninety-one kept his hand in mine as we looked around. Through the lights under the water, we could see people moving, but no one called out. The gunfire stopped and we were left with nothing but the sound of the storm and waves.

The two of us stood there, waiting for several minutes. Nothing changed. I was the one to nudge Ninety-one forward. We couldn't stand out here all night. Hopefully Zero-zero and the others would be fine. Hue could swim, so hopefully, he would find us too. We would come back in the morning if we didn't find any of them told.

Our pace was slow. We moved without light. I knew I still had a flashlight in my bag but didn't want to risk getting it out. They must have been how the creature found us. My body hurt. Both from the pain of being thrown and from the weight of the wet backpack. I didn't want to get rid of it. It was all we had right now.

As we went, more people joined us, or we caught up with them. Either way, it wasn't just the two of us. I didn't recognize them. I didn't have everyone's faces memorized yet. They kept quiet as they walked too. No one so much as whispered to each other. Next to me, I could hear Ninety-one's breathing heavily.

Eventually, we made it to a building. It was small but sat over the water. We took broken steps to get to the broken door. We weakly stumbled over large vines and clumps of concrete as we went inside. Wind and rain blew the long since shattered windows. We passed empty metal shelves. With what bit of minuscule light we had, I could make out white labels were long faded price tags once sat. At the back of the large room, we found a dry spot were we could rest. Wet thuds echoed the rang through the abandoned store as we dropped our bags.

Ninety-one and I sat close together, shuttering from the cold. My head was resting his head against his shoulder and his head resting on mine.

"Are you okay?" I whispered to him.

"Yeah. I'm just scared for us. And Oscar." He sounded so sad. Was he like this when I went missing?

"We'll find him. Hue too," I said. We had to. I wasn't sure what I'd do if they were gone.

We fell into silence again. We were all breathed heavily as we rested, listening to the sound of the ongoing storm. We were left with nothing to do but wait until morning.


End file.
